


Miscalculation

by Lavanya_Six



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Darkfic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-17
Updated: 2011-10-17
Packaged: 2017-10-24 17:23:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/265989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavanya_Six/pseuds/Lavanya_Six
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated." — Niccolo Machiavelli, <i>The Prince</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Miscalculation

Seeing Uncle tumbling backwards, his tubby chest engulfed in her flame, almost made up for her failure to bag the Avatar and her worthless excuse of a brother. But Zuzu's _scream_... oh, that was worth SO much more. Azula poured that joy into her flame, and against that nothing her opponents unleash on her spinning Nova shield could breach it.

The four elements whirled around her, as if _she_ were the Avatar. No wonder the effect was nothing less than titanic when Azula completed the Nova form's movement and the shield exploded outward. Her eardrums popped and the finest hairs on her exposed hands and face sizzled to ash, but she took the least of it. The whole town was burning now. Even flash-blinded, she could sense it through her firebending.

Stumbling through the blinding smoke, Azula threw open the door at her back and rushed out through the ruined wall. Even if Uncle's injury wasn't enough to slow them down, hopefully the explosion took out one or two of the Avatar's little helpers. They'd all be too busy to-

A dark figure stood ahead of her, beyond the smoke.

Azula slipped into a fighting stance, only to slip out of it just as quickly once the figure's outline became more distinct. Odango were hard to mistake. "You're late."

Ty Lee walked over to Azula's side. Both girls looked soaked.

"No," said Mai. "I'd say we're just in time."

Azula's retort died as Ty Lee's fists darted out and struck her. Terrific pain flared, then vanished along with all other feeling. Falling and hitting the ground were nothing through the numbness. Or the shock.

"Wh-what?" The limp princess glared up at her traitorous friends. "How DARE-"

Mai kicked her in the stomach. She could only feel a dull physical sensation as her body folded around Mai's boot, but it still managed to knock the wind out of her. "You hurt Ty Lee's circus friends and their animals. You almost _killed_ her. You tried to get my baby brother killed. I don't really like the brat, but at least he keeps my parents from bothering me."

The brunt of Ty Lee's attack was wearing off already, turning her whole body into a mass of pins and needles, but no fire would come. She glared up at her former friends, trying to cow them. "I hope you both realize the consequences of your petty little revenge."

Ty Lee whimpered and turned away. Mai, meanwhile, simply bent down and picked up a chunk of rubble blown clear from some nearby building. "We do. By the way, thanks for burning down this town. Between the Avatar's dogpile on you and your charred corpse, our tracks will be pretty nicely covered."

It was like Ty Lee had hit her again. Everything inside Azula went cold and numb.

"You know, for someone so smart," Mai said, hefting a jagged rock over her head, "when it comes to people you've got no brains."


End file.
